NFC Integrated Treadmill Module

ABSTRACT

In general, the present invention relates to exercise devices and systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a treadmill exercise machine that embodies with an integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) device for receiving both the user preferences and user exercise plan from an NFC enabled Smartphone before starting the exercise, and transmitting the realized exercise information back to the same NFC enabled Smartphone after the exercise is performed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A treadmill is a stationary device for making exercises such as walking and running They became a popular tool over time; include many features to enhance the exercise experience; and give detailed data on performed exercises. State of the art treadmills have an embedded screen to provide feedbacks to users such as exercise duration, covered distance, and calorie expenditure.

NFC is a short-range wireless communication technology that is emerged a decade ago, but rapidly gained appreciation. NFC fulfills the need to provide short distance and implicit paired communication capability in Smartphones. The strength of NFC technology arises from its ease of use by triggering the communication just with a simple touch. In NFC communication, bringing two devices close starts the communication and separating them terminates the communication immediately. There exist three types of NFC devices, which can involve in NFC communication: Smartphone, NFC tag, and NFC reader. The interaction styles among those NFC devices differ on each operating mode. Reader/writer operating mode occurs between a Smartphone and an NFC tag. Peer-to-peer operating mode occurs between two Smartphones or a Smartphone and another NFC capable device. Card emulation operating mode occurs between a Smartphone and an NFC reader.

Several existing treadmills make use NFC technology by allowing the user to authenticate her/him by using a Smartphone so that the user logs in and may also connect her/his social network account by making use of the treadmill's display unit, watch favorite TV channels and also to connect to favorite websites. But NFC technology is not used in any existing treadmills to comply with our claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Treadmill exercise machines are valuable tools for providing healthy and fit bodies. People perform exercises for various reasons. One of those reasons is to loose weight, whilst one other is to have a better physical shape. Either way, a user may initially have some exercise plan for a period such as one year. With such a plan, the user further decomposes the long-term plan to daily plans, perform daily exercises based on that daily plan, and continue the process until the long-term plan is completed. The user may use some tools such as a treadmill exercise machine for performing daily walking or running exercises. A typical user might need to run some distance in several days in a week, and the program may consist of a whole year. If the user cannot perform a daily exercise program, s/he needs to re-schedule the missed exercise on the following days. If the user performs only a part of the daily exercise plan, s/he needs to add the remaining part to the following days. This methodology is actually somewhat cumbersome.

People with different physical properties such as age and weight need to use such treadmills in different settings including speed, exercise period, treadmill deck inclination, workout plan, etc. Contemporary treadmills mostly include a computerized framework that includes buttons and similar items to manually apply such settings. In this way, a user can adjust the preferred settings before using the treadmill.

Setting user preferences in treadmill exercise machines is an important issue. Users apply different settings to the same treadmill before using it. Hence, settings of the same treadmill are changed over and over by different users. Similarly, a user needs to re-apply the same settings to the same treadmill again and again in different times. This scenario creates redundancy for adjusting the treadmill by the same user each time before the usage. Additionally, adjusting the settings of a treadmill is a boring process. An easy, fast, and user-friendly solution would be appreciated that automatically adjusts a treadmill exercise machine's settings based on user's preferences. Such a solution would help a user to adjust treadmill settings based on his/her preferences in an instant and enjoyable way. Our model aims the user to enter a long-term exercise plan to his/her Smartphone using an application on the Smartphone; the application decomposes the plan to daily exercise plans; and the daily plan is transferred to the treadmill just before using it. As the user puts the Smartphone to the provided slot of the treadmill, the daily plan together with the personal settings such as age and weight are transferred to the treadmill. The treadmill settings will be adjusted automatically without any other input from the user.

After user finishes his/her treadmill exercise, the performed values such as completed exercise period, running distance, calorie burned are transferred to user's Smartphone. The Smartphone application then deducts the performed exercise from the long-term exercise plan automatically. Users may even share the performed exercise in social networks, or show their friends, and even share with another Smartphone using a wireless communication such as NFC or Bluetooth. It is desirable to transmit the data from a treadmill exercise machine to a Smartphone in an easy to use and enjoyable fashion. Such a system may also highly motivate users on exercises.

In the system, both Smartphone and treadmill exercise machine are equipped with NFC antennas, and the communication between Smartphone and treadmill exercise machine is performed with NFC technology.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. is a general overview of an NFC enabled treadmill exercise machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2. is the detailed view of the NFC enabled treadmill panel according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3. is the detailed view of the treadmill display unit according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4. is a flow diagram showing the steps for making annual exercise plan and decomposing the overall plan to initially weekly, and finally daily plans which end up with transferring daily plan to the treadmill exercise machine just before the exercise.

FIG. 5. is a flow diagram showing steps for transferring the realized value of time, heart rate, calorie, distance, and workout to the Smartphone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts the overview of an NFC enabled treadmill exercise machine that includes the treadmill deck (101) and the NFC enabled treadmill panel (102).

FIG. 2 depicts the details of the NFC enabled treadmill panel (102). It includes the treadmill display unit (201), the treadmill computing unit (202), the treadmill NFC module (203), the Smartphone placement slot (204), the Smartphone (205), the NFC communication link (206) between treadmill NFC module (203) and the Smartphone (205), the communication link (207) between treadmill computing unit (202) and the treadmill NFC module (203), the communication link (208) between the treadmill display unit (201) and the treadmill computing unit (202).

FIG. 3 depicts the details of the treadmill display unit (201). It includes the time display unit (301), the heart rate display unit (302), the calorie display unit (303), the distance display unit (304), the workout display unit (305), the user identification display unit (306), and the plan display unit (307).

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram showing steps for making annual exercise plan and decomposing the overall plan to initially weekly, and finally daily plans which end up with transferring daily plan to the treadmill exercise machine just before the exercise. In step 401, the user inputs annual exercise plan to the Smartphone (205). In step 402, the Smartphone (205) decomposes annual plan to fifty-two weekly plans. In step 403, the Smartphone (205) decomposes current week's plan to seven daily plans. In step 404, the user puts Smartphone (205) to the treadmill Smartphone slot (204) to initiate the data transfer. In step 405, the Smartphone (205) transfers daily plan together with the realized exercise values on the same day, personal treadmill preferences and settings to the treadmill NFC module (203). In step 406, the treadmill NFC module (203) transfers the received data to the treadmill computing unit (202). In step 407, the treadmill computing unit (202) transfers the processed data to the treadmill display unit (201). In step 408, the treadmill display unit (201) displays the data in the time display unit (301), the heart rate display unit (302), the calorie display unit (303), the distance display unit (304), the workout display unit (305), the user identification display unit (306), and the plan display unit (307).

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram showing steps for transferring the realized value of time, heart rate, calorie, distance, and workout to the Smartphone (205). In step 501, the user touches to the Smartphone to initiate the transfer. In step 502, the time, heart rate, calorie, distance, and workout values are transferred from the treadmill NFC module (203) to the Smartphone (205). In step 503, the transferred values are accumulated to the previous values. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated NFC module that will be embedded to a treadmill exercise machine, the device comprising: a treadmill computing unit; a treadmill NFC module; and a Smartphone placement slot.
 2. A Smartphone decomposes annual exercise plan of the user to daily treadmill exercise plans, and also allows the use to enter personal treadmill settings.
 3. The Smartphone of claim 2 transfers the daily treadmill exercise plan and personal treadmill settings to the integrated NFC module of claim 1 as the user places the Smartphone into the Smartphone placement slot of claim
 1. 4. The integrated NFC module of claim 1 reads the daily treadmill exercise plan of claim 2 and personal treadmill settings of claim 2 from the NFC enabled Smartphone of claim 2 and adjusts the treadmill settings based on the received values.
 5. The integrated NFC module of claim 1 transfers the performed time, distance, workout plan, and calorie to the Smartphone of claim 2 after the user finishes the exercise.
 6. The Smartphone of claim 2 cumulates the received values to the previously existing such realizations, and further deduct the cumulative values from the annual plan. 